1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drill pipe spinning devices, and particularly to the mechanism for the opening and closure thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of spinners to turn segments of a drill pipe in the course of drilling a well has been known in the past. Typically such spinners include a length of leaf chain passed over idlers within a housing and continuing over idlers fixed at the free ends of pivotal arms or jaws conformed to surround the drill pipe. In such configurations, typified by the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,626 to Pagett, the chain is tensioned around the pipe and then driven by a motor to turn the pipe segment forming the string.
Now that the deposits of readily available crude are being depleted drilling to deeper depths is more frequently attempted and operating economies therefore form a more significant item in any decision to drill. Thus the time and convenience of the clamping method becomes a substantial cost item in the course of each drilling. One should note that the process of drilling to a deeper area is more dominantly dependent on repetitive operating costs like the costs of mating the pipe segments and any economies realized thereat substantially reduces the total cost of the well.
Accordingly, pipe spinners which offer added convenience to the user are desired in the art and it is one such spinner that is disclosed herein.